We’ll see what Nebraska does with the momentum. It should do well, but this is Nebraska in the Big Ten era. No guarantees. Nebraska has a 14-12 record against current Big Ten West foes. Those teams — not Oregon — are NU’s true peers. Maybe it is humbling for Husker fans to see that, but back-to-back games at Wisconsin and Ohio State in Games 8 and 9 won’t mean nearly as much if Nebraska stubs its toe before then.
The Badgers and Buckeyes are the midterm exams. Before then, four quizzes, tricky in their own ways, but very passable so long as Nebraska does its homework.
The Huskers begin league play with four teams — 1-2 Northwestern, 1-2 Illinois, 2-0 Indiana and 1-1 Purdue — that do not have nearly the overall talent, depth, history, resources or fans of Nebraska. Aside from Indiana, which should have two losses by the time NU rolls into town, these teams are also staring down the barrels of long, tough seasons.
If that sounds like a broken record, here’s the difference: NU was 0-3 against those teams in 2015. And Indiana might be the toughest game of the four.
So Nebraska would have no particular reason for overlooking any of those four teams.
None.
It’s kind of the perfect situation.
